Lucky Charms, More Thimbles
by Emiko2
Summary: Finally, the (not very) long-awaited sequel to "Kisses and Thimbles!" Ignoring the game's original storyline completely, Kairi and Riku are back on the Destiny Islands. Fluff ensues. Riku/Kairi.


Lucky Charms, More Thimbles By: Emiko  
  
Disclaimer: Bleh.  
  
AN: Before reading, everyone should know that THERE IS NO TIMELINE IN THIS FIC. Riku's just there on the Destiny Islands, and so is Kairi, and Sora isn't. He's probably out somewhere with Goofy and Donald, but I shall leave his whereabouts up to everyone else's imagination, because I'm only focused on some serious angst and fluff on Riku's part. Hee...  
  
Anyway, with that, here's Emiko's new one-shot that really *isn't* a one- shot... I suppose you *could* understand it without reading "Kisses and Thimbles," but it'd be easier if you did. ^.~ Shameless plug! Go read it!! Please!  
  
~~~  
  
It seemed like forever since he'd seen the sunset from Paopu Island. The warm sea breeze blew Riku's silver hair into his face, but it didn't hinder his vision enough to hide the beautiful pinks and yellows in the sky. He was home. Home, where nothing out of the ordinary would ever happen again. In a way, it made him content. But in another, it left him unsatisfied.  
  
After all, Sora still hadn't returned. Not having him back on the islands was the one thing that left Riku so confused. A small part of him wanted things to return to exactly as they were before they knew anything about other worlds or Heartless, but another one never wanted to go back to that time. And even to further the confusion, another, large, guilty part of him was glad Sora wasn't back yet.  
  
Someone sighed, and Riku spun around to see Kairi standing behind him. She put one arm around a palm tree and stared out at the ocean. She seemed to be there to do the same thing as he was: brood.  
  
They didn't say anything to each other for a while, until the sun was touching the very edge of the horizon, and Kairi opened up on her favorite topic. "It's so strange without him here. I hope he gets back soon."  
  
"Do you think he's okay?" Riku asked.  
  
"I know he is."  
  
Riku sniffed. "Stupid question."  
  
"I'm a little surprised you asked," Kairi admitted. "After all we've been through, you still doubt whether or not Sora will come back?"  
  
"It's just... I can't stand this waiting."  
  
"Well, neither can I, but what else can we do?"  
  
It was true- the door was closed, at least to the two of them, and Sora was the only one who could open it. It was impossible to go out and look for him. It made Riku feel... helpless. He could hardly stand it. He slouched. The whole thing was like looking at Kairi when she had her heart stolen.  
  
"Anyway I hope Sora gets back soon," Kairi continued. "He has the lucky charm I gave him."  
  
"Lucky charm?"  
  
"Mm-hm. A keychain with a star on it. I gave it to him because I thought it would help him."  
  
"The one I gave you?"  
  
Kairi nodded.  
  
"You gave it to *Sora?*"  
  
She nodded again.  
  
Riku scowled, jumped from the paopu tree, and silently walked off. Kairi watched him with a confused expression. "Riku?"  
  
He ignored her.  
  
"Riku, what is it?"  
  
He left her on the island. He didn't want to listen to her right now. Not when she could do nothing but sing Sora's praises. He sorely needed to be alone, so he went into the secret cave.  
  
It was so dark when he entered that Riku would've bumped his head a dozen times if he didn't know the way by heart. He finally reached the part where the cave opened up and the dying sunlight filtered through a gap in the ceiling. He settled down on a tree root and looked around at the pictures drawn on the stone. Everyone had drawn at least one picture on the walls at one time. There was Selphie's collection of hearts and flowers nearly everywhere you looked on one wall, Wakka and Tidus' blitzball players, and quite a few monsters and dragons that Riku drew himself... Then he spotted a drawing he'd never noticed before, in a dark corner near the Door.  
  
Sora and Kairi, sharing a paopu fruit. He'd recognize the other boy's spiky hair anywhere.  
  
Somehow, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Riku had always strived to be better than Sora. He could never relax around him, in case he should ever jump ahead. He trained hard, because he always had to be the best. He almost always was, too, in sword fighting, racing, intelligence... But when it came to Kairi, Riku was always second place to Sora.  
  
Riku gave that keychain to Kairi after he first met her. It was *his* lucky charm before it was ever hers. And she gave it to Sora. He had done things- things that he would've never even thought of doing, all for Kairi's sake. Kairi, the thought of whom kept him from being completely swallowed by darkness. And after it all, Sora was the one who got her heart, both literally and figuratively.  
  
What had he done *wrong?* Why couldn't he measure up, when he had tried so hard?  
  
Riku curled himself up on the ground, feeling too drained to care where how late it was. The light faded from the outside, and soon he was asleep.  
  
~~~  
  
A twig snapped. Riku immediately woke, but didn't move an inch; he didn't want anyone to notice.  
  
"Riku?"  
  
Kairi. The last person he wanted to see.  
  
The sound of quiet footsteps padded nearer. "Are you awake?"  
  
No. Go away.  
  
Kairi crouched very close to Riku to make sure he was asleep. She assumed he was, so she sat on the tree root Riku had occupied earlier and began to speak softly to him.  
  
"Listen, I know you'd never want to hear this when you're awake, so I'll just say this now and get it off my chest." She took a deep breath, and began. "I'm sorry about the lucky charm. I remember you giving it to me soon after I first came to the island, but at the time I didn't think about it. It was right before he went back to rescue you."  
  
As if that made everything all right.  
  
"Anyway, I never realized how important the charm was to you. Maybe if you told me, I would, but you never mentioned it. And I was way too worried at the time to really think about it, and if I'd have know how you felt about it, I wouldn't have given it to Sora... I'm really sorry, Riku."  
  
Kairi was quiet for a long time. Riku couldn't get back to sleep with someone watching him; it made him nervous. He wanted to jump up and snap at her to go away, but instead he focused on not blushing from the attention.  
  
Eventually Kairi giggled and shuffled her feet. "Since you're asleep, I guess it's okay to say out loud that you look like a little kid when you're sleeping. But you'd probably get all snide if I told you how sweet you looked."  
  
Why did she have to get all girlish and cute *now,* of all times?  
  
She knelt down beside him, and Riku could sense how near to him she was. He could sense it, and it made his heart beat even faster. He prayed she couldn't hear it, because it made his ears ring. then Kairi touched his cheek, and it was all he could do not to open his eyes.  
  
"Riku," she said, even softer than before. "You try so hard. You always have to be number one, don't you? Even if it tears you up inside. I know it does. I see how hard you try, and I see you hurting. You might think you pull quite a job hiding your feelings, but I know you too well for that and I see right through your 'lone-wolf' routine. I just wish... You wouldn't do that. She paused and smiled at the face she thought was sleeping.  
  
"Why do you try so hard, anyway? Is it to become as strong as Sora? I don't think anyone could ever be as strong as he is. But that doesn't mean that I..." She trailed off, brushed the hair from Riku's forehead, and kissed his brow.  
  
She then moved to leave, but Riku had other plans. Before she could even remove her hand, he rolled to one side, effectively pinning her arm beneath his cheek and shoulder. On top of that, he moved the hand he wasn't laying o and held her arm with it.  
  
"Oh! ...Well, thanks, Riku, how am I supposed to get out of this?" Kairi was now placed in a very uncomfortable hunched position, but she didn't want to rouse Riku. She gave her arm a few gentle tugs, but to no avail. If she were to pull any harder, he would wake up.  
  
She finally gave up after a moment of grumbling, and timidly lay down beside him. It was considerably more comfy than her position before. Kairi snuggled closer to him, breathing in how much he smelled of the sea, and in time fell asleep. Riku waited until he was sure she was sleeping before putting his arm around her. In the morning, Kairi would wake to warm kisses as the first rays of sunshine poured into the once-dark cavern.  
  
~Fin~  
  
AN: Yes! I've read tons and tons of fics where Riku is always turned into a sentimental ball of fluff (not that that sometimes isn't a good thing... on occasion) and Kairi is a Riku-hating ball of angst, so I wrote this to portray them both in a different light. I always imagined Kairi as being a sweet *lil'* ball of fluff, anyway, so... Hooray for Sleeping Beauty-ish scenes! In case you couldn't tell, I have a bit of a weakness for them //wink// But don't worry, this will be the last one, I promise you.  
  
Reviews, please! //hands out flowers//[pic] 


End file.
